1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a machine capable of reliably collecting recyclable containers, such glass bottles, metal cans, and plastic bottles, bearing bar code symbols on arbitrary surfaces, and also to a method of collecting such diverse types of recyclable containers using a single machine.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
In recent times, most members of our society have become aware of the need to recycle the materials used in the manufacture of household and industrial products. Based on this general awareness, markets for recycled materials such as metal, glass, and plastic, have been created.
As part of this trend in recycling, various types of "reverse vending" machines have been developed on order to facilitate the collection of such types of recyclable materials. Presently, reverse vending machines for collecting metal cans, glass bottles, and plastic bottles for recycling have enjoyed less than great popularity among consumers. On reason for this consumer response is based on the fact that glass bottles, metal cans, and plastic bottles have had to be placed in the scanning bins (i.e., receiving slots) of different machines. In order to read the bar code symbol printed on such containers, each of these machines is equipped with a bar code symbol reader having a laser scanning pattern particularly designed to read bar code symbols on surfaces of particular geometry and at different locations along the rotatable scanning bin in which the container is rotated about its axis during laser scanning. Upon successfully reading the bar code symbol on each laser scanned container, the coin deposit paid on the container or voucher representative thereof is automatically dispensed to the consumer. Presently, a number of reverse vending machines of the type described above have been developed and sold by TOMRA, of Asker, Norway and ENVIPCO, of Fairfax, Va.
While prior art container collection machines of the type described above have been influential in advancing the trend of container recycling in our society, such machines have nevertheless suffered from a number of shortcomings and drawbacks.
In particular, due to inherent limitations of prior art laser bar code scanning equipment, such container collection machines have been designed to read bar code symbols on single types of containers, e.g., metal cans, glass bottles, plastic bottles, etc. Thus, in order to recycle containers, the consumers have had to first segregate them according to container type. Then to return a metal can for recycling, the consumer has had to insert the can into the scanning bin of a collection machine particularly designed to read bar codes located on the cylindrical surface of the can as the can and bar code are rotated about the lower region of the scanning bin. To return a glass bottle for recycling, the consumer has had to insert the glass bottle into the scanning bin of a collection machine particularly designed to read bar codes located on the conical or cylindrical surface of the bottle as the bottle and bar code symbol are rotated about another region of the scanning bin. Similarly, to return a plastic bottle (e.g., 1 or 2 liter size) for recycling, the consumer has had to insert the plastic bottle into the scanning bin of a collection machine particularly designed to rear bar codes located on the cylindrical surface of the bottle as the bottle and bar code symbol are rotated about yet another region of the scanning bin.
As a result of the above-described recycling protocol, additional time has been required to carry out recyclable container collection operations, and therefore, many consumers have been less than enthusiastic in participating in recyclable container collection efforts.
Thus, there is a great need in the art for a container collection machine which is not limited by the shortcomings and drawbacks of prior art machinery and processor.